How to teach empathy to kids starts with being a role model they can genuinely feel—not just instruct. This article explores practical ways to nurture empathy in children so they grow up kind, compassionate, and beloved wherever they go.
When “Empathy” Is Misunderstood
In a fast-paced, competitive world, many families unintentionally prioritize strength, intelligence, or self-interest over empathy. Many parents want to raise kind, empathetic children—but end up using the wrong approach, such as commanding them to help others or scolding them for being selfish. When exploring how to teach empathy to kids, what’s often forgotten is this: a child can only show empathy if they’ve first received understanding themselves.
What Is Empathy? (Empathy vs Sympathy)
Empathy is the ability to understand and genuinely feel with someone else—knowing how they feel and connecting to it. It’s different from sympathy, which is feeling for someone from a distance.
For example:
- Sympathy: “Oh no, poor thing.”
- Empathy: “I can really imagine how hard that must have been for you.”
For children, empathy is more than teaching them to say “sorry”—it’s helping them truly recognize and care about others’ feelings.
According to research from Harvard’s Making Caring Common Project, children who consistently receive empathy from their parents are more likely to show kindness and help others—compared to those taught to “be nice” through commands or forced behavior.
Are Children Born with Empathy?
A common question is: “Young kids don’t even understand much yet—how can they be empathetic?” In reality, children are born with the capacity for empathy, and it can develop strongly during the early years—especially before age 6. That’s why understanding how to teach empathy to kids from a young age is so important.
A University of Washington study (2014) found that children as young as 18 months can recognize others’ emotions and even try to help when someone is struggling.
Empathy-related brain systems, like mirror neurons, are active from a young age. Children naturally imitate facial expressions, gestures, and emotions of adults—often without realizing it.
This means your child is learning empathy from everything you do, not just what you say. Learning how to teach empathy to kids early helps ensure that what they absorb from you turns into lifelong compassion.
5 Ways to Raise a Compassionate Child
